STUDIES IN THE NAPOLEONIC WARS 080
Farewell to Spain
10. Farewell to Spain (13)
August 5th. To Ayamonte, the seaport at the mouth of the Guadiana, built under the side of a hill, with a strong fort and castle commanding it. On the opposite side is the delightful island of Villa Real, belonging to Portugal. From Ayamonte you may take shipping to any part of Europe, and can hire small vessels at short notice, to coast along the neighbouring country. But I determined to pass by land over the Portuguese mountains, to join the British army, and must beg your patience to follow me a little longer.
Here I bid farewell to Spain, with all its beauties: many excellent qualities do its people possess, and they are highly entitled to my gratitude, for the kindness they showed to me and other British prisoners. I regret and lament the present state of their unfortunate country, and most sincerely do I wish them a speedy deliverance from their oppressors, the French.
August 6th. I thought that the most speedy way of joining the British army, which lay at this moment at Villa Viciosa, was to ascend the Guadiana as far as it was navigable, and then strike over the hills. I desired Don Sunday to hire a boat to convey us up the river to San Lucar de Guadiana, which would save us a long land journey. He went out, and returned to say that he could find none, which I did not believe, as it had occurred to me that he was wishing to spend a day or two at Ayamonte, with some old acquaintances that he had found. So I went out myself, and hired a boat with no difficulty. It was deeply laden with flour and other stuff for San Lucar. We went off with a fair wind, and sailed many miles, till at a narrow part of the river the wind slackened and we were becalmed. Here we were passed by a rowing-boat going extremely fast: as it went by, a gentleman called to me from it and said: “I perceive, sir, you are an English officer. I am a king’s messenger from Cadiz: if you will accept a seat in my boat I can get you to Mertola very quick.” I took his kind offer, and we proceeded up the river for a long distance, till, the rowers being fatigued, we stopped at a farmhouse. While we were taking milk and refreshments, a decently dressed man came up and said: “I understand, sir, that you are an English officer who have made your escape from Seville; probably you are in want of money, and I can readily supply you with some, if you want it, or find you anything else you require.” This was the magistrate of the district: I told him with thanks I was well provided for my journey. Putting off, we rowed till night overtook us.
August 7th. Reached Mertola about ten in the morning, the end of our river journey. Called on the magistrate (Juiz de Fora) for a billet, and got a good one. A priest asked me out to a most excellent dinner. He was a very superstitious man: Don Sunday took advantage of the failing in this truly good ecclesiastic, and told him such a version of my escape as was so miraculous that it could not be accounted for by any power below. The priest paid me very great attentions, and wept when we parted. We got mules at Mertola with no trouble.
August 8th. Left my kind entertainers in Mertola, and proceeded along the high-road to Beja, the only great public road which we had used since leaving Seville. It was tolerably good, and all the day we proceeded over a variety of hill and dale. These hills afford shelter for all kinds of game. In every little spot that was free from bushes we noticed hares, rabbits, and partridges innumerable.
The people in these mountains are, if possible, more ignorant than those of Spain. From the extreme plenty which surrounds them in herbs and game of every kind, they have become so idle that they have no other ideas but those of the pleasures of the day. It is a wretched land of idleness and sloth: they are very filthy in their persons, and I fancy the man who should venture to offer small-tooth combs to any of the females would be forbidden to travel that way again, as this machine would deprive them of a cherished daily amusement.
Reached Beja at night, a town situated on a hill in the midst of a plain. From nature it derives many advantages, and might be made a very strong place. I should think this had been the case years back; but the works are going fast to decay, the angles are defenceless, and not a gun is mounted on the bastions.
To obtain a deluxe leatherbound edition of STUDIES ON THE NAPOLEONIC WARS, subscribe to Castalia History.
